PARIS: Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast have failed in a remarkable bid to appoint Herve Renard as coach for the remainder of the tournament after the French Football Federation (FFF) refused to release him.
The FFF confirmed to AFP that they were not willing to loan the 55-year-old, who is currently the coach of the France women’s team.
Talks had taken place between the Ivorian Football Federation and their French counterparts in an attempt to bring in Renard midway through the Cup of Nations.
Renard enjoys great popularity in Ivory Coast after leading the team to the 2015 African title.
He also won the competition with Zambia in 2012 and has managed Morocco and Angola.
Yet he is under contract as coach of the French women’s team through to the end of this year’s Paris Olympics, and Les Bleues also have a UEFA Nations League semifinal to play against Germany in Lyon on February 23.
The Ivorians had hoped to have Renard on the bench for their last-16 tie against reigning champions Senegal on Monday, while the AFCON final takes place on February 11.
The Elephants squeezed into the last 16 as a best third-placed team after a group stage in which they defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0 before losing 1-0 to Nigeria and 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea.
Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked as coach on Wednesday due to the team’s unconvincing form, with former player Emerse Fae named as interim boss.
AFCON hosts Ivory Coast fail in bid to appoint Renard as coach
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AFCON hosts Ivory Coast fail in bid to appoint Renard as coach
- The FFF confirmed to AFP that they were not willing to loan the 55-year-old, who is currently the coach of the France women’s team
- Renard enjoys great popularity in Ivory Coast after leading the team to the 2015 African title
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
